Driver knee energy-absorbing plate

ABSTRACT

An energy-absorbing plate for absorbing energy from the force of a knee of the driver of a motor vehicle when the driver is thrown forward in response to a frontal impact. The plate has a knee impact zone and is mounted on rigid vehicle support structure in a position placing the impact zone directly in front of the right knee of the driver. The impact zone is connected to an upper wall portion of the plate by a generally horizontal shelf placing the impact zone closer to the right knee and providing additional stiffness for better crashworthiness. The plate has a bead adjacent one side of the impact zone capable of deforming into a shallower channel shape upon impact. The impact zone has a relatively large radius side edge portion capable of rolling with the deformation of the impact zone to improve energy absorption.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention relates to an energy-absorbing plate for an instrumentpanel kneeblocker application.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The energy-absorbing plate of this invention is designed particularlyfor absorbing energy from the right knee of the driver in a severefrontal impact or collision. The plate has a knee impact-receiving wallor zone designed to efficiently absorb knee and lower torso energy. Ashelf above the wall portion provides additional stiffness to the platefor better crashworthiness and locates the impact zone in closerproximity to the knee of the occupant. This improves the effectivenessof the restraint system by permitting additional knee penetration intothe instrument panel.

To further improve energy absorption, the plate has a vertical bead nearthe impact zone. In a severe frontal collision, the right knee of thedriver will deform the impact zone and cause the bead to open into amore shallow depression and consequently will allow more kneepenetration. The potential for more knee penetration is desirable forbetter energy management.

The plate also preferably has a large radius along one side to allowearly restraint and additional knee penetration. When the plate iscontacted in the typical knee impact zone, the large radius providesopportunity for the plate to be drawn forward for improved energymanagement.

One purpose of restraining the knee with an energy absorbing plate is toprevent the driver, when thrust forward in a frontal impact, fromsubmarining under the steering column. This so-called submarining isundesirable because it places the chest of the driver below the path ofthe air bag when it deploys so that the air bag does not provide maximumprotection. Another reason for preventing submarining is that thedriver's hands and arms, when engaging the steering wheel, will pushupwardly on the steering column in a frontal collision and not along adirect axial path. It is of great importance that the force of thedriver against the steering column be directed axially so that thecollapse of the steering column can be gradually resisted by theenergy-absorbing mechanism. An upward push on the steering column, dueto submarining, would obviously be undesirable.

One object of this invention is to provide an energy-absorbing plate forthe knee of a driver which has the foregoing features and capabilities.

Another object is to provide an energy-absorbing plate which is ofsimple construction and highly capable of performing its intendedfunction.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become moreapparent as the following description proceeds, especially whenconsidered with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the inside of a vehicle asseen from a position slightly to the left of a driver seated in theleft-hand driver's seat adjacent to the steering wheel, showing theenergy-absorbing plate of this invention in broken lines and covered bythe instrument panel.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view on an enlarged scale and withthe instrument panel partially removed to expose the energy-absorbingplate.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the energy-absorbing plate, showing therear side thereof facing the driver.

FIGS. 4 and 5 are perspective views of the energy-absorbing plate seenfrom different angles, FIG. 5 showing the front side.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary somewhat diagrammatic view of the inside of thevehicle as seen from the left, with the instrument panel removed and acrash dummy seated in the driver's seat, showing the proximity of theenergy-absorbing plate to the knee of the dummy.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7--7 in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8--8 in FIG. 3, showingthe condition of the plate before impact.

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 but showing the configuration of theplate after impact.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, and especially to FIGS.1 and 2, there is shown an energy-absorbing plate 10 covered andconcealed by the external cover layer 12 of the instrument panel of anautomotive vehicle 14. The plate 10 is firmly secured as by bolts 15 torigid vehicle support structure 17 on the right, side of a driver seatedbehind the steering wheel W, in a position just forwardly of thedriver's right knee.

The plate 10 is made of a flexible resilient material and is preferablya sheet metal stamping. Plate 10 is of integral one-piece constructionand has a wall 16 which, when the plate is mounted as shown in FIGS. 1and 2, extends generally vertically (See FIG. 6).

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 3-5 and 7-9, wall 16 has an upperwall portion 20 and a lower wall portion 22. The lower wall portion isdisplaced rearwardly relative to the upper wall portion and isintegrally connected to the upper wall portion by a horizontal shelf 24.The shelf 24 extends transversely of the wall 16 and is bisected by avertical center line 25 passing through the upper and lower wallportions midway between the opposite side edges thereof. The lower wallportion 22 provides an impact zone to be engaged by the right knee ofthe driver.

The plate 10 has an integral mounting strip 26 which extends along theleft side of the wall 16 as the plate is viewed by a person sitting inthe driver's seat. The mounting strip 26 has a flat generally verticalupper portion 28 laterally opposite the upper wall portion 20, and aflat generally vertical lower portion 30 laterally opposite the lowerwall portion 22. The lower mounting strip portion 30 is offsetrearwardly with respect to the upper mounting strip portion 28 and isjoined thereto by an integral, inclined connecting strip portion 32.Integral tabs 34 and 36 at the upper and lower ends of the mountingstrip 26 have holes 37 for receiving attaching bolts 15 used to securethe plate to the rigid vehicle support structure 17. Similar holes andattaching bolts are provided in the mounting strip portion 30.

Formed in the lower mounting strip portion 30 is an elongated, vertical,channel-shaped bead 40 which is laterally spaced to the left of thelower wall portion 22. The bead 40 is depressed forwardly from the planeof the lower mounting strip portion 30. Along the side of the wall 16opposite mounting strip 26, the wall 16 is formed with a relativelylarge radius portion 42 which extends vertically along both the upperand lower wall portions 20 and 22, curving to form a forwardly openingchannel and terminating in the upper and lower mounting tabs 46 and 48which are provided with holes 37 to receive bolts 15 for attaching theplate to the rigid vehicle structure 17.

The plate 10 is positioned in front of and normally concealed by coverlayer 12 of the instrument panel with its lower wall portion or impactzone 22 spaced only a short distance directly in front of the right kneeof the driver. The wall portion 22 is concave on the rear side, that is,it forms a rearwardly facing channel, to conform more or less to theshape of the driver's right knee. At the left side of the lower wallportion 22 and spaced to the right of bead 40, the wall portion 22 has avertical, forwardly facing channel-shaped section 43.

FIG. 6 shows a dummy D seated in the driver seat and it can be seen thatthe lower wall portion 22 of the plate is directly in front of andclosely spaced from the right knee of the dummy.

In use, and in the event of a severe frontal impact in which the driveris thrown forwardly against the steering wheel W, the driver's knee willalso be thrust forward into contact with the lower wall portion 22 ofthe energy-absorbing plate 10. The fact that the lower wall portion 22is displaced rearwardly of the upper wall portion and therefore closerto the right knee for early contact with the knee to restrain forwardmotion, enables the plate to have a greater stroke upon impact. Thehorizontal shelf 24 above the lower wall portion 22 provides additionalenergy-adsorption and additional stiffness for better crashworthiness.

The bead 40 along one side of the lower wall 22 is capable of deformingupon impact into a shallower channel shape and thus to improve theenergy-absorbing ability of the plate. Likewise improved energyabsorption results from large radius side edge portion 42 which iscapable of rolling with the deformation of the lower wall portion 22upon impact (See FIGS. 8 and 9). The channel-shaped section 43 opens orflattens upon impact for additional energy absorption.

What is claimed is:
 1. An energy-absorbing plate of flexible, resilientmaterial for absorbing energy from the force of a knee of a driver of amotor vehicle when the driver is thrown forward in response to a frontalimpact and adapted to be mounted on rigid vehicle support structure in aposition forwardly of the right knee of the driver,wherein said platehas a wall and said wall, when said plate is so mounted on the vehiclesupport structure, is disposed generally vertically and has an upperwall portion and a lower wall portion, said lower wall portion beingdisposed directly in front of the right knee and displaced rearwardly ofthe upper wall portion so as to be closer to the right knee and therebycapable of a greater stroke upon impact, said upper and lower wallportions being integrally connected by a generally horizontal shelfproviding additional stiffness for better crashworthiness.
 2. Anenergy-absorbing plate as defined in claim 1, wherein said plate has anelongated, vertical, channel-shaped bead laterally adjacent said lowerwall portion, said bead being capable of deforming into a shallowerchannel shape upon impact to improve energy absorption.
 3. Anenergy-absorbing plate as defined in claim 1, wherein said lower wallportion has a relatively large radius side edge portion capable ofrolling with the deformation of the lower wall portion upon impact toimprove energy absorption.
 4. An energy-absorbing plate as defined inclaim 3, wherein said relatively large radius side edge portionterminates in a mounting tab for said plate.
 5. An energy-absorbingplate as defined in claim 1, wherein said wall has a vertical centerline and said shelf extends across said vertical center lineperpendicular thereto.
 6. An energy-absorbing plate as defined in claim1, wherein said wall has a side along which extends an integral mountingstrip.
 7. An energy-absorbing plate as defined in claim 1, wherein saidwall has a side along which extends an integral mounting strip, saidplate has an elongated, vertical, channel-shaped bead in said mountingstrip laterally adjacent said lower wall portion, said bead beingcapable of deforming into a shallower channel shape upon impact toimprove energy absorption, said lower wall portion having a relativelylarge radius side edge portion remote from said mounting strip capableof rolling with the deformation of the lower wall portion upon impact tofurther improve energy absorption, said lower wall portion being concaveon the side facing the right knee.
 8. An energy-absorbing plate asdefined in claim 7, wherein said lower wall portion has a channel-shapedsection adjacent to said bead which is capable of flattening uponimpact.
 9. An energy-absorbing plate as defined in claim 8, wherein saidwall has a vertical center line and said shelf bisects said verticalcenter line and is perpendicular thereto.
 10. An energy-absorbing plateas defined in claim 9, wherein said relatively large radius side edgeportion terminates in a mounting tab.